Ports turn triple play in win over Nuts

Matt Olson had never been a part of turning a triple play, but the second the ball came off of Dean Espy's bat Thursday, he knew he was in for a historic moment.

The No. 3 A's prospect made the final out in a fourth-inning triple play that quelled a rally as Class A Advanced Stockton downed Modesto, 7-2.

The Nuts got back-to-back singles from Jordan Ribera and Francisco Sosa to lead off the fourth to bring Espy to the plate. Modesto's third baseman hit a sharp ground ball to his counterpart, Ryon Healy, at third. Healy tagged the bag, fired to second baseman Colin Walsh for the second out and Walsh's throw to Olson at first beat Espy for the final out of the inning.

"Everyone was thinking it off the bat," Olson said. "I think someone even yelled 'triple play' as soon as it happened. It was definitely fun to be a part of."

The moment also helped stem the tide of a budding Nuts rally.

"Stuff like that doesn't happen every day," the Georgia native said. "They've got to hit it hard enough to make it happen. Once it got to third, it's almost like turning a really fast double play."

After yielding two runs in the top of the first, one on Rosell Herrera's leadoff homer and another a fielding error charged to Olson, Renato Nunez cracked a grand slam in the bottom of the frame. Stockton added a run on Olson's RBI double in the second and another on a run-scoring single by Aaron Shipman in the third.

After a shaky start, Stockton's Josh Bowman (2-6) calmed down. The right-hander allowed two runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking one in six innings.

"Bowman threw well as soon as he got settled in," Olson said. "We know with our lineup that two runs, hopefully, shouldn't hold up. A lot of guys put together good ABs tonight."

Modesto's Devin Burke (5-7) was charged with six runs on seven hits over four innings to take the loss.